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J. F. DODGE AND G. E. GODDARD.

WINDOW RUNWAY.

APPLICATION man was 20, 1919.

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ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

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JOHN F. DODGE AND GEORGE E. GODDARD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGi-NORSTO DODGE BROTHERS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPOBJATEON OF MICHIGAN.

WINDOW RUNW'AY.

Application filed June 20, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN F. DODGE and GEORGE E. GODDARD, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Detroit, Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Window-Runways, of which the following isa clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to window runways, and especially to runwaysadapted for use in closed body automobiles, and an object of theinvention is the construction of a runway which is easily installed inthe car body and one which also possesses advantages in simplicity ofparts and economy of construction. It ha been customary of late years toconstruct what may be called a sashless window for automobiles, and myinvention is particularly adapted to a sash of this sort because therunway according to the present invention, is so made that it firmlyretains the pane of glass forming the window, yet in such a manner as toyield sufiiciently to the shocks and jars to which it may be subjectedin the ordinary course of use. Provision is also made whereby the glassforming the sash may be readily lowered when desired without in anymanner risking the danger of breaking the glass. While the invention isparticularly useful in a sashless window its features of constructionare eminently adapted for use with the ordinary sashed glass as well.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detail description and claims when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a partsectional, part side elevational view showing the runway assembled inthe car body;

Fig. 2, a similar view of the upper part of the runway on an enlargedscale;

F Fig. 3, a sectional view onthe line XX,

Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line YY, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a perspective detail View of one of the springs for pressingtogether the longitudinal members of the runway;

Specification of Letters Patent.

v springs.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Serial No. 305,463.

Fig. 6, a front elevation, showing parts in section;

Fig. 7 a side elevation of the upper part of the runway showing thearrangement of the upper spring, which, as shown, is fastened into theside framing of the window so as to pivot therein; Fig. 8 is aperspective view of one of the longitudinal runway angle members andshowing a cutaway portion therein to accommodate the cross piece of oneof the springs, and

Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the runway at the region of the crosspiece of one of the Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates the windowframe of an automobile or other structure carrying and supporting therunway. Said runway is preferably made in two sections, at least one ofwhich is movable to bring the two sections into and out of alinement,and in the embodiment of the invention shown, it is the upper sectionthat is movable. l/Vith the window closed, this upper section is out ofalinement with the lower section, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, but it maybe moved into alinement with the lower section and the sash loweredtherein when desired.

In order to provide supporting and guiding means for the glass formingthe sash when in either section of the runway, we provide longitudinalmembers on either side of the window pane, these members preferablybeing in the form of angle bars 6 and 8, clearly shown in Figs. 3 and4:. One flange of each bar is arranged to be parallel with the face ofthe glass or sash, while the other flanges of each pair of bars overlapeach other and extend over the longitudinal edge of the glass.

These angle bar form the main supporting and guiding means for the glassor sash and instead of these bars being arranged at a fixed distanceapart to form a groove, said bars are movable toward and from eachother, being yieldingly urged toward each other by a plurality ofsprings arranged along the longitudinal edge of the glass. Each springconsists of elongated members 10 connected by a cross piece 12. Theelongated members 10 engage the outside of the flanges of the anglemembers 6 and 8 which are adjacent the face of the glass, one elongatedmember engaging the outside of the angle member 6 while the otherelongated member engages the outside of the angle member 8, as shown inFig. l. The elongated members 10 of the springs are slightly bowed asshown in Figs. 2 and 5, so as to give the required pressure and they arefastened at one end only to each of the bars 6 and 8, the other end ofthe elongated members being free, to give the proper freedom of motionas the longitudinal members move toward and from each other.

Ne may provide a number of these springs situated along the longitudinaledges of the glass as shown in Fig. 6, in which figure four of saidsprings on either side are shown. From an inspection of this figure, itwill be noted that the uppermost spring on either side of the glass inthe upper section of the runway, is somewhat differently constructedfrom the others. This is for the purpose of permitting a pivotalmovement of the upper section of the runway so as to enable the sectionto be brought into alinement with the lower section to permit the glassto be slid from one section to the other. This pivoted movement isprovided for by passing a wood screw through an opening 14 in the crosspiece 12 of the uppermost springs, the cross piece of these particularsprings being shaped as shown in Fig. 3, a portion carrying the screwhead being countersunk into the frame or support 2 of the window frame.

The angle member 6 has a cut away portion 18, in the region of the crosspiece 12 of each spring, for the purpose of permitting the cross pieceto lie flush with the member 6, so that there is no necessity ofcountersinking any portion of the runway within the window frame withthe exception of the portion of the cross piece of each of the two topsprings in the upper runway section.

The wood screw 16 forms a pivot for each side of the upper section ofthe runway so that the glass or sash 20 carried by the angle barsforming the runway, may be moved from the position shown in Fig. 1, infull lines, to the dotted line position shown in said figure, in whichlatter position the glass or sash will be in alinement with the lowersection of the runway.

This lower section is generally similar in construction to the uppersection except that there is no need of pivoting this section andtherefore the springs pressing together the longitudinal angle bars maybe secured to the window frame at several points if desired. This lowersection also differs from the upper section in one other particular.

The upper ends of the angle bars are slightly flared as shown in Fig. 1.Owing to the pressure of the springs, the longitudinal members of thelower section will be substantially in contact when the sash is entirelywithin the upper section of the runway and in order that the sash indescending may separate the longitudinal members of the lower section,the flared ends are provided.

The sash is normally detained in its upper position by means of a hookmember 22 engaging over what is known as a fence 24-. Any suitable orwell known means may be provided to enable the sash to be lifted todisengage the hook 22 from the fence 2%, for the purpose of lowering thesash.

A spring 26 or other suitable cushioning means may be provided at thebottom of the sash to produce a cushioning effect when the sash islowered and to avoid danger of break ing the glass while it is in itslowered position. The sash may also be provided with any suitable orwell known counterweighting means to give it the desired ease ofoperation.

Owing to the fact that the upper section of the runway is secured to thewindow frame at a single point and also owing to the fact that the lowersection is secured only at a few points, and furthermore, owing;

to the fact that the runway, including the springs, forms a selfcontained structure, it is possible to assemble all of its parts at thebench. All that is required when the runway is assembled in the car isto lower the sash so that the wood screws 16 may be put into place, whenthe sash is raised and the lower section secured in place. Also owing tothe fact that the springs constantly press the angle members against theglass, all rattle of the glass is done away with both at the time thesash is in normal position and when it is lowered, and danger ofbreakage is reduced to a minimum.

l Vhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Awindow runway having in combination, longitudinal guides comprising apair of angle bars between which a sash may slide, each pair of barsindependently movable toward and from each other.

2. A window runway having in combination, a sash, longitudinal guidescomprising a pair of angle bars on each side of the sash, one angle ofeach bar projecting parallel with the face of the sash, the other anglesof the bars extending over the edges of the sash.

3. A window runway having in combination, a sash, longitudinal guidescomprising a pair of angle bars on each side of the sash, one angle ofeach bar projecting parallel with the face of the sash, the other anglesof the bars extending over the edges of the sash and overlapping eachother.

4. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers, spring means acting to yieldingly press said mem bers towardeach other to thereby yieldingly support and guide a sash therebetween.

5. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, spring means forpressing said members together, said spring means having elongatedmembers, one member bearing against each longitudinal member, and across piece connecting said elongated members.

6. A window runway comprising in pornbination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, spring means forpressing said members together, said spring means having elongatedmembers one bearing against each longitudinal member, each elongatedmember being fastened to its adjacent longitudinal member on one endonly and a cross piece connecting said elongated members.

7. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, spring means forpressing said members together,

said spring means having elongated members one bearing against eachlongitudinal member, and means securing the spring means to the windowframe to enable the runway to pivot.

8. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, spring means forpressing said members together, said spring means having elongatedmembers one bearing against each longitudinal member, a cross piececonnecting the elongated members, said cross piece having securing meanspassing therethrough to enable a pivoting action of the longitudinalmembers.

9. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers, a plurality of springs acting to yieldingly press said memberstogether, one of said springs only being secured to the window frame.

10. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers, a plurality of springs acting to yieldingly press said memberstogether, and means for pivotally securing the uppermost of said springsto the window frame so that the runway maypivot thereon.

11. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, a plurality ofsprings for pressing said members together, each of said springs havingelongated members one bearing against each longitudinal member, one ofsaid springs being secured to the window frame to thereby enable thelongitudinal members to pivot.

12. A window runway comprising in combination, longitudinal guidingmembers forming a track in which a sash may slide, said members beingindependently movable toward and away from each other, a plurality ofsprings for pressing said members together, each of said springscomprising elongated members, one elongated member bearing against eachlongitudinal member, each of said springs also having a cross piececonnecting the elongated members, and means for securing one of saidcross pieces to the window frame to enable the runway to pivot thereon.

18. A window runway, in combination, longitudinal guiding membersforming an upper section of said runway, longitudinal guiding membersforming a lower section thereof, yielding means acting on the members ofeach section tending to press said members together, one of saidsections being constructed so as to be moved into alinement with theother section, the longitudinal members of the lower section havingflared ends to enable a sash to separate them against said yieldingmeans when the sections of the runway are alined.

14. A window runway comprising in combination, an upper section and alower section, one of said sections being movable to enable alinement ofthe sections so that a sash may pass from one section to the other, thelower section of the runway comprising longitudinal guiding members,spring means acting to yieldingly press said members toward each other,the ends of the longitudinal members of said lower section being flaredto enable the sash to readily separate the longitudinal members prior topassing into the lower section.

15. A window runway for closed body automobiles, said runway comprisingin combination two sections, the upper section having angle barsembracing the sash and overlapping each other, springs for pressing saidangle bars together, each spring having elon gated members embracing theangle bars be.- tween them, one elongated member of each spring beingfastened at one end only to one angle bar, the other elongated member ofeach spring being fastened at one end only the runway to thereby enablethe upper section to pivot; the lower section of the runway normally outof alinement with the upper section, said lower section having anglebars and springs similar to those of the 10 upper section, the lowersection adapted to be stationarily received in the framing by havingscrews passing through the cross bars of springs on each side of therunway.

Signed at Detroit, Michigan, this 12 day of June, 1919.

JOHN F. DODGE.

GEORGE E. GODDARD. V

Witness:

JOHN R. FURsE.

